Electric incubator



FWZ

A. V. RACKSTRAW ELECTRIC INCUBATOR Filed April 23, 1950 1l '-ln|l ||d| ll d, J R. M s. v l|. N ed N Vlwli E/x R l 0 .3 V t m 7 w|l\|nl|-.| 84/ J N d T. 5 7 a, 1/ A M 0 T 2 /dml lfr z d. f Tllxmi T L .z //a F Y Tm MN B 1I 5... 3 r-j r |LVLVLVIL#IL JIL 5 y 5 7 9 7 a 3 7 2,/ wf n4 llll 1 7 ,/1 f HNHHMWH umuuhmmmwlmummmmmjmi|! v s E In .1 dfn I/l/ w d 11 ...||w L f m M4 il M8 a T,ll r| 0. U /f I /h l 1 :m5 fm nu ,G L L 1ML 4 --IunhhumwwmmmmmmmmlmmmmmwwENQ V1ITT f Ik 7 4, z f 4|v /m 0 7 7 3 Av 7 7 7 7 1 Sept. 13, 1932.

Patented Sept. 13, 1932 PATENT OFFICE ALBERT V. BACKSTRAW, OF GARDENA, CALIFORNIA ELECTRIC INCUBATOR Application filed April 23, 1930. Serial No. 446,557.

This invention relates to the construction of cabinet type electric incubators.

An object of the invention is to provide an incubator construction wherein the ventilation will be secured in a more uniform and dependable manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for producing a stabilized properly heated air current which will be circulated through the egg trays of the incubator in such a manner as toproduce a dependable even heat of the required temperature.

Still another object of the invention is to simplify and render more compact the heat supply and heat regulating parts in general and to construct them so that they may be more easily regulated.

Still other objects and advantages, such as 2 lower cost of manufacture, convenience in assembling and durability of parts, may hereinafter appear.

Referring to the accompanying drawing which illustrates what is at present deemed 2 to be a preferred embodiment of the invention Fig. 1 is a front elevation of one unit of the apparatus, a fragment of an adjacent unit being shown at one side thereof.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a single unit.

Fig. 3 is a view on an enlarged scale of the fan heater and lower water pan of one of the units of the apparatus, shown partly broken away at each end, in side elevation.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on a reduced scale taken on the plane 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the plane 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a plan view on a reduced scale of the casing or cabinet of a singleunit of the apparatus, showing the position of the air conduits and thermostatic control. Portions of the view are broken away in order to contract the length of the cabinet illustrated.

Referring in detail to the drawing, and first describing one of the plurality of similarly constructed units of which the apparatus is composed, within the lower portionrof the cabinet or casing 7 is mounted a transversely extending shaft 8 the end portions of which are supported by bearings 9. Said shaft has mounted thereon and fixed thereto a plurality of centrifugal air fans 10 having radial blades 11 to certain of which are fastened heating elements 12 which are of the well known electrical resistance type, and are connected by means of the conductors 13 with the commutators 14 which rotate in unison with said heating elements and from which the electrical current is supplied. A pmmutator brush 15 is shown at each side of Across the interior of the cabinet, at each side of the door 17 thereof, extends a series o f vertically spaced substantially horizontal guide bars 18, said bars being supported at their ends by cleats or other well known means (not shown). Upon and between said guide bars 18 are supported the egg trays 22 which are of the open mesh or screen type in order to permit the air to circulate freely through the bottom portions thereof.

Below this series of trays 22 is located a water pan 30 which is supported by the lowest pair of cleats, designated 17a. Beneath the shaft 8 and fans 10 there is located another water pan `35, theseV two water pans affording an adequate supply of moisture to the warm air which is circulated through the incubator by the fans 10.

The position of the fans 10 is such that the air, which is admitted at the mid-width of each end of the incubator from the top thereof by means of inlet tubes 37 and will thereby be conveyed to points near the bottom of the incubator, is thence conveyed from the center of the floor portion upwardly and outwardly toward each corner by the four air being spaced apart a suitable distance longitudinally of said shaft 8. Said heads carry between them the elongated auxiliary fan blades 11aj upon the central portions of which are formed the set of annular plates 44 which are equally spaced apart from each other as shown. Said annular plates 44 are of greater external diameter than the portions of the fan construction at each side of them. Said annular plates 44 are mounted upon the hub portion 46 of the rotary structure by means of radially extending blades 47 four of which are illustrated. Between these blades 47, webs 48 connect the annular discs as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, said webs constituting additional fan elements which increase the centrifugal action of the fan upon the air.

The annular plates 44 are cut away at 50 at one side of each of the blades 47 in order to provide room for attaching the heating elements 12 to said blade. The rotary structure consists of the heads 43, auxiliary plates 11a, annular plates 44 and webs 48 which may all be formed as a single casting if desired, but the invention is not limited to thus constructing the rotary structure which generates the heat and produces the air currents within the cabinet.

At each side of each unit of the apparatus a vertical air inlet tube 37 is provided, said air inlet tube conveying the air down each side of the cabinet to a point located near the bottom thereof, and axially in line with the recited rotary element. In the central portion of the unit an air vent 56 is provided through the top thereof. The construction provided for creating and directing the air currents within the cabinet, not only secures proper ventilation, but also maintains a good general circulation of the air through the egg trays.

The bottom water pan extends transversely across the floor of the cabinet along the mid-width thereof, a wide space being left between each end wall of the cabinet and the adjacentside of said water pan. The upper water pan is larger than the water pan 10 and preferably extends the complete length of the unit as well shown in Fig. 4, a clear air space 30s being left between each long side of said water pan and the adjacent wall of the cabinet. On the floor of the cabinet at each side of the lower water pan 10, the iues or air guides 38 are provided which lead from the central portion of said water pan diagonally out to each corner'portion of the cabinet. Said flues or guides 38 are each formed by and between the short upstanding strips or plates 59 at one side and the angular upstanding plates 60 at the other side thereof. This arrangement is duplicated at each side of the lower water pan 10, it being understood that these flues are confined to the space between the lower pan 10 and the upper water pan 30.

From the structure which has just been described it will be seen that when the rotary `circuit through the motor.

heat and air circulating element is put into operation by the rotation of shaft 8, air will be drawn into each unit through the air intake pipe 37 at each side thereof and thence will be directed up through and around the various egg trays and finally be discharged a small amount at a time through the discharge vent 56 in the center of the top of the cabinet.

In order that a plurality of units U may be operated by a single motor 16, a series of shafts 8 are aligned with each other and coupled together at their ends by a coupling device 61 as indicated in Fig. 1. By placing these cabinets in a row in contact with each other space is conserved and also the heat generated is economized. The object of providing the vertical air inlet tubes 37 within the casing instead of providing vents through the Wall to admit the air to the lower portion of each cabinet, is to make the air supply means of each unit self-contained so as not to interfere with placing a series of units side by side.

On the top of each cabinet is diagrammaticallyindicated the thermostat 65 which controls the supply of electricity to the electrical heating elements 12 so that the current is repeatedly turned off and on in a well known manner as required to supply the requisite amount of heat.

Describing briefly the electrical connections, current is supplied from the feed wires and 71. A The feed wire 70 is provided with a branch 7 2 which passes through the switch box 73 and supplies current to the motor 16, while the line wire 7l is provided with a branchk 74 which also passes through the switch box 73, said branch 74 completing the The line wire 7 0 is provided with a branch 75 which, in conjunction with the conductors 76 and 77 completes a circuit through the commutators 14, rotary heating element 10 and wires 13 with which said rotary element is provided. The thermostat 65 is included in the latter circuit and automatically maintains the proper temperature within the incubator.

will be seen 'that the circuits described will kee'pthe motor 16 ruiming continuously butwill permit the thermostat 65 to interrupt the current as frequently as may be necessary to keep the heat within the cabinet down to the proper degree for incubating the eggs.

I claim: Y

1. In anincubator, a combined air heating and air circulating device which includes a rotary centrifugal air blower, electric resistance heating elements mounted upon said blower to be gyrated thereby, means to supply electric current to said heating elements during the'rotation of said blower, means to rotate said blower, and a `water pan supported near to and above said'blower in position to 4meisten the air circulated thereby, 3

said water pan bridging the space between and being supported by two opposite walls of said casing and being spaced away from the other two casing walls.

2. In an incubator, a water pan su ported across a lower portion of said incu ator, a combined air heating and air circulating means positioned beneath said water pan, and a water pan positioned beneath said air heating and air circulating means.

3. In an incubator, a casing, a water pan supported across a lower portion of said incubator at a distance from the floor thereof and in spaced relation to opposite walls thereof, a combined air heating and air circulating means positioned beneath said water pan centrally of the casing, diagonally disposed plates located beneath said water pan and extending upwardly from said Hoor to direct the air outwardly toward the corner portions of the casing, and egg trays within said casing above said water pan.

4. In an incubator, an upright rectangular casing, means to conduct air into said casing and deliver at points located at substantially the mid-width of the casing and near opposite side walls thereof, a centrifugal circulating fan mounted to rotate about a substantially horizontal axis and located near the floor of said casing in position to entrain air from said air delivery points toward the vertical axis of the casing, a Water pan supported Within said casing above and adjacent to said fan, there being a clear space between each side of said Water pan and the adjacent side of the casing at each end of said fan, and egg trays located within the casing above said water pan.

5. In an incubator, an upright rectangular casing, an inlet air conduit adjacent each side of the casing leading from the top thereof to a point near the floor thereof and discharging into said casing at substantially the midlength thereof, air outlet means located in the top of the casing, a centrifugal fan located within the lower portion of the casing and rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis, said fan having its end portions directed towards the discharge ends of said air inlet conduits, a water pan located near to and above said fan and in spaced relation to each side of the casing, upright plates to direct the air currents created by said fan outwardly therefrom toward the corner portions of the casing, and egg trays located in the upper portion of the casing.

6. In an incubator, an upright rectangular casing, air inlet means discharging into said casing at substantially the mid-length thereof and near each side thereof, air outlet means to conduct air from the discharge portion of the casing, a centrifugal fan located within the lower portion of the casing and rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis, said fan having its end portions located to entrain air through said air inlet means, a water pan located near to and above said fan, said water pan leaving the corner portions of the casing unobstructed above said fan, air guides located beneath said pan to direct the air currents created by said fan toward the corner portions of the casin and egg trays located within said casing a ove said water pan.

7. In an incubator, a rectangular cabinet, a series of superposed egg trays mounted in said cabinet, an electric fan mounted upon and above the central portion of the floor of said cabinet, air inlets to conduct the air into said cabinet downwardly toward said floor and fan, air guides consisting of upstanding plates which are arranged in pairs to forni flues adapted to direct the air from said fan diagonally towards the corner portions of the cabinet across the upper surface of the floor thereof, and means to rotate said fan to create air currents outwardly from the space adjacent to and above the central floor portion of the cabinet toward the corner portions and up the sides thereof.

In testimony whereof I hereunto alix my signature.

ALBERT V. RACKSTRAW. 

